Abstract

Background

TPN infusions are usually administered during a treatment period of 10–24 hours per
day due to the metabolic capacity of the liver. During this time interval physicochemically
stable TPN solution (emulsion) is needed for the treatment. The purpose of the present
study was to examine how the kinetic stability features of ready-made total parenteral
nutrition admixtures containing olive oil and soybean oil will change under the usage-modeling
24-hour application with and without overdose Ca2+.

Methods

Particle size analysis and zeta potential measurements were carried out to evaluate
the possible changes in the kinetic stability of the emulsions.

Results

Our results indicate that in two of the four mixtures bimodal droplet-size distribution
figures were detected and appearance of fat particles over 5 μm can not be disclosed.
The tendency for separation of large diameter droplets in the two types of oil-based
emulsion systems was different. In case of soybean containing emulsion second peak
of droplets appeared in the bottom of the container in contrast to the olive oil containing
emulsions where the second peak appeared in the surface layer. Interestingly this
phenomenon is independent of calcium-content.

Conclusions

From therapeutic point the emulsions of the bigger droplets containing upper layer
are safer because the potentially dangerous big droplets could remain in the infusion
bag after the administration.